What do you do if your skills and knowledge are falling behind in your late career?

If you find your skills lagging in your late career, proactive steps are crucial. I prioritize continuous education, regularly enrolling in courses to stay updated with the latest industry trends and technologies. Networking plays a vital role, so I actively connect with younger professionals and industry leaders to exchange ideas and learn new perspectives. I also seek out mentorship opportunities, both to teach others and to learn from them, ensuring I remain competitive and informed in my field. This approach helps me maintain relevance and vigor in my career.

If you find your skills and knowledge becoming outdated later in your career, it's crucial to actively pursue learning and development. Invest in professional training, participate in industry seminars, and seek advice from peers. Adopt new technologies and methodologies relevant to your sector. You might also consider enrolling in part-time courses or online certifications that align with current industry trends to ensure you stay competitive and adaptable.

If someone's skills and knowledge are lagging in their career, it indicates a lack of attention to the dynamic market trends. It is essential for everyone to continuously learn, unlearn, and relearn to stay updated for professional growth. The market is evolving rapidly, and adapting to and mastering new tools and technologies is crucial for maintaining a healthy professional trajectory.

Engage in continuous learning and professional development. This could involve taking courses, attending workshops, earning certifications, or pursuing advanced degrees. Look for opportunities to stay updated with the latest industry trends and best practices.

Best Mantra will be to "Unlearn to Learn"! *Reflect: - Reflect on your career break and figure out what you've learned and accomplished. - Find the strengths and experiences that can help you in your next adventure. *Research: - Things change fast in the industry. Get cracking on researching your industry's latest trends and demands. *Upskill: - Its time to upgrade to latest skills. - Study up, attend workshops and join webinars. - Remember, it's never too late to learn new stuff.

- Its time to makeover your resume! - Highlight your recent experiences, skills, and achievements. - Remember to keep it short and sweet; recruiter spends less than 30 to 45 seconds on each resume. - Keep it ATS friendly! - Make it snappy and relevant to the job you're eyeing.

If you notice that your skills and knowledge aren't keeping up, leverage your network. Connect with industry leaders, join professional associations, and participate in networking events to gain insights and learn from peers. Building strategic partnerships can also provide access to new technologies and methodologies. By networking effectively, you can stay current, exchange valuable experiences, and continuously adapt to the evolving demands of your field.

- LinkedIn is the best platform to socialize with industry experts & restart where you paused! - Time to put on your social butterfly wings! - Research on companies hiring candidates with career break". Familiarize with terms used in the industry for such opportunities. - Follow the company profiles on LinkedIn & stay updated especially the companies you are keen to restart your journey! - Talk to old colleagues, friends, your ex- supervisors, well-wishers. - Let people know you're back in the game. - Even on the day you don’t really like following up with your friend on that job opening, show up, call them. - The power of networking is underrated!

If your goal is only to learn new skills or acquire knowledge, the path is straightforward. For most skills, there are courses you can take. With knowledge, there is no shortage of content available. The changes that are typically hardest to make are "behavioral." Behavior change requires one to overcome old mindsets, personality tendencies, habits and ways of being that worked in the past. Mezirow’s Transformative Learning theory is a good guide for such change. The idea is that one has a disorienting dilemma (in this case, it could falling behind peers), then engages in self-reflection, recognition of the gap, exploring alternate ways of being, coming up with a development plan, and then gradually building competence/new habits.